iPhone catches fire in man's pants

ATLANTA - A Metro Atlanta man claims his iPhone 6 Plus caught fire in the front pocket of his jeans, forcing him to strip in a busy Douglas County store parking lot.

“I mean, it was pretty humiliating having to take your pants off in a parking lot,” said the man. He asked Channel Two Action News not to reveal his identity, though he said it was OK to use his first name, Rocky.

Rocky said he was loading up his car at a Home Depot Tuesday afternoon when he felt an intense burning sensation in his front pocket. He said seconds later smoke began billowing out of it, so he stripped off his pants as quickly as he could.

“When I saw the smoke, I undid my belt, I undid my pants,” said Rocky. “I pushed it away, turned my head hoping it wouldn’t explode. It burned pretty much my whole front pocket, burned my boxers, started to burn my leg, but I had moved it away in time so it wouldn’t burn me.”

Rocky said he escaped any serious injury.

Rocky said he tried to get to the bottom of what happened and learned Apple originally sold the phone to a different person in 2014. A different company later refurbished it, and he bought it from his current carrier in October 2015. That refurbishing company sent him a replacement phone within 24 hours, but he said he’s still looking for an apology.

“I guess a call from somebody just taking responsibility for it and apologizing,” Rocky said.

Channel Two Action News reached out to Apple. A spokesperson said it was still too soon for the company to comment, but promised to get to the bottom of what happened. Apple representatives planned to speak with Rocky Wednesday afternoon.